As I look back on my time on the mission field (now 10 months removed which is CRAZY), I think about the faces of the people that I was so blessed to meet while on the World Race. I think about their stories and the beauty inside each of them.
•
So when the opportunity to participate in a 10-day mission trip to Serbia arose at my church, I JUMPED at the opportunity.
•
The mission trip will take place ‪from June 30th to July 10th.‬ While in Serbia, we will working with a local church, doing much the same type of work I did while on the World Race. I will be bringing my new camera equipment to capture on film the amazing work the Lord will accomplish through us in order to be able to share it with you back home.
•
The trip will cost about $1,500 for the 10 days, including airfare, accommodations, and meals. I would greatly appreciate any financial contribution you feel led to make to help me partner with this worthy project as I follow the Lord where He calls me on my journey. Truly, no contribution is too small. Every bit of your contribution will go toward allowing me to serve the Serbian people and share the message of Jesus to a community who has never heard about His love. I know that if we partner together, the Lord will do amazing things!
•
Thank you so very much for your prayers and financial support during the World Race, and for your consideration now, as I continue to follow where God is calling me (support information is located below). I have really enjoyed sharing my journey with you through the eyes of my camera lens, and I hope to continue to share with you whatever the Lord puts on my heart. God Bless you always!
•
For more info about the country of Serbia and about my trip click the link to my full blog in the comments!
•
ALSO, stay tuned for more Exciting offers to get involved in supporting me!
Thank you all! •
My Paypal account is: matthewcotov @gmail.com
Venmo: @Matt -Cotov
Cash App: $MattCotov

830

3 weeks ago

This past winter I was in Germany and had the opportunity to go to visit Dachau concentration camp. This was the first ever concentration camp opened by the Nazis. Seeing this place in person and being able to walk the grounds where so many lives were lost and people struggled to survive everyday, was hard to grasp. Especially knowing that the reason the people were put in these camps was only because of their religion and ethic background. This made me realize how fortunate I am to not have grown up in a time and place such as that. It made me thankful for the life I have been given and all that the Lord has blessed me with. I post this today because today is Holocaust Remembrance Day, and it is important to be reminded of how dark and scary this world can get. Evil and Hate are so powerful in this world but as a collective we can stand up and fight and pray against it. I pray for all the families and people who were effected by this horrific act of evil and I pray that the Lord’s light will shine through the darkness. Together we can make sure that hate such as this will never be seen or spoken of ever again. Let us all use today as a reminder and memorial to those who went through this unthinkable act, and continue to pray towards a future full of love and peace. •
•
•
#holocaustremembranceday #dachau #dachauconcentrationcamp #remembrance #liveslost #stompouthate #together #wethepeople #germany #cinematography #cinematographer #endhate #tbt #sys #shareyourstory #liveitwell

Over the past year and a half, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to travel the globe and visit more than fifteen countries. As a filmmaker, I am passionate about getting to know the people I come in contact with, and sharing their stories of tragedy and triumph. One such story that comes to mind is that of Ayran, a young boy I met while visiting the slums of Nepal. The smile on his face radiated pure joy. Ayran’s joy amazed me the instant I met him, and has had a lasting effect on me, even to this day. You see, the slums of Nepal are some of the worst you will ever find. The homes are constructed from scrap metal and bits of garbage scattered on the ground. Yet Ayran, forced to live in these terrible conditions, was full of joy as he shared his makeshift kite with me. He told me his favorite hobby was playing soccer, and that when he grows up, he wants to be an army man, to help save lives. Ayran’s selfless spirit allowed him to look for joy in the small things, always thinking of others before himself. He was able to triumph in the midst of his tragedy. Ayran’s story is just one of the many that have inspired me on my travels, and the reason why I am passionate about continuing to travel the road before me, sharing stories as I go. Perhaps Ayran’s story will be an inspiration to you. Perhaps it will put a smile on your face as you think about his desire to make the world a better place, despite his situation. Perhaps his story will impact you - to make your own corner of the world just a little brighter. I know it impacted me! • Share your story with @southwestair • •
#southweststorytellers #contest #sys #shareyourstory #nepal #nepalikids #kids #portrait #portraitphotography #photoswithastory #joy #smile #childrenofnepal

A year ago, I had the amazing opportunity to live and serve in Africa for two months. Because I was able to meet so many incredible people during my stay, I decided to film video portraits of the native people, allowing them to simply be themselves in front of the camera. This gave me the unique opportunity to see the true beauty inside of each of them. Every trial and tribulation... every pain and heartache... every success and joy...plays an important role in writing the story of our lives, and this was never more evident to me than during this precious time in Africa.
As I edited this video and reminisced about the past year, I was reminded of the stories of both struggle and triumph behind the faces. The Lord tells us that we are made in His image, and that we are perfect in His eyes (Gen 1:27). As I scanned through these video portraits, I was able to see Him in every smile, every frown, every laugh, and even behind every blank stare. I was able to truly see that even thought we are each vastly different from one another in so many ways, at our core, we are much the same.
Our faces may be what the world sees at first glance, but they certainly don’t define us. Each of these faces, even the ones that appear on the screen for just a brief second, is a son, a daughter, a mother, an uncle... each of these faces connects us to the whole of humanity... each of these faces represents the love of Christ.
Africa was a magical place that opened the door to the beauty of God’s creation. No, I will never forget these faces... the faces and stories that may one day change the world. •
•
•
#facesofafrica #sys #shareyourstory #faces #videoportrait #portrait #africa #ethiopia #rwanda #africanskies #getoutthere #liveitwell #smiles #changetheworld #together #seethestory #video #africavideography #africanvideo #africanfaces #love #innerbeauty #hashtags #travelingvideographer #worldtraveler #travelingfilmmaker #beautifulfaces #laughter #seehim #expressions